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Public Intelligence Network (PIN) is what we need!

by raven_gale | March 18, 2010 at 02:21 am

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Pakistan has witnessed way too many terrorist attacks in the last few years. While such cowardly acts bring great sorrow, it also makes the nation stronger and more resilient. Today, almost all Pakistanis have been affected by this wave of terrorism in one way or another and all Pakistanis are determined to fight it till all terrorist elements are eliminated. In the end it’s not the Pakistan Army or intelligence agencies that are going to eradicate the curse of terrorism but it will have to be common people of Pakistan. It will have to be a unified national effort. One lapse in security should not be consider a defeat for the security and intelligence agencies but should be considered a lesson for the future. It will have to be you, me and all of us who are the public of Pakistan who have to join hands and form a Public Intelligence Network (PIN) which will work with the government intelligence agencies to counter terrorism.

It is indeed disturbingly mind bogling to learn that such huge quantities of explosives could be found stored in a residential area. Residents of a locality are definitely the best form of intelligence. Often intelligence agencies overlook this critically important asset when they are trying to identify the objeective.

Concept of PIN (public intelligence network) does sound interesting but a collaborative operation conducted by the general public would hardly remain in domain of the intelligence network. This would be more of a Public Vigilence Network, where ordinary people report what they have seen and then a higher level group further investigates and notifies the intelligence or law enforcement agencies. What ever lies in the public domain cannot remain a secret but then again that is the idea... to expose hidden or hard to see things.

People of Pakistan are truely courageous. Despite so many terrorist attacks and big terrorist attacks, Pakistanis have shown amazing resilience. They have not given up and they have not demanded that their government should stop the terrorist attacks. Instead with each attack the world has seen Pakistani people distancing tehmselves away from the extremists elements. This is a very positive sign.

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simonseaton

at 02:45 on March 18th, 2010

Public is often reluctant to interact with intelligence and law enforcement agencies. In countries where corruption is rampant, there is always a trust deficit. On one hand common people try to stay out of the sights of intelligence agencies. On the other hand militants use their own intelligence to identify people who may be helping the law enforcement agencies. We have witnessed so many beheading and executions in Afghanistan and Pakistan where the victims were declared US spies. So only a very limited involvement of the public can and should be expected. Of course in big cities like Lahore where militants and extremists don't enjoy that much influence it may be easier for the public but in remote areas like Waziristan in the north (PAK - AFGHAN) border areas, this PIN thing cannot work.

greg_mathews

at 03:07 on March 18th, 2010

Intelligence agencies always use locals to get inside information on suspicious activities. For this they keep people on their payroll. If all the people start acting like agents then there will be chaos and confusion and the enemy will be alerted. Even in a big city like "Lahore", if militants identify few individuals as agents and execute them (targeted killings), that will induce fear among the people and they will stop interacting with the law enforcement agencies. So PIN can also prove to be counter productive.